The forecaster retired early from her position at RTE before Christmas, keeping it on the down low as she didn’t want a fuss made out of her final forecast according to The Mirror.
First appearing on RTE screens in 1996 Jean became quite the fashion icon along the way. In 2019 she opened up about just how much freedom she has when it comes to her on air outfits, “I basically choose my own outfit and some of the stuff I have worn in the past has been my own, I never even intended to put it on air because it was what I wore outside.
“The costume department in RTE are terrific as well. The camera makes you look bigger anyway, it puts on at least 10lbs and jackets make you look even bigger.
“It became a little bit more relaxed at one point and then I just decided, ‘OK, I’m a bit tired of the old jackets, I’ll wear one or two of my own things.
“I don’t go out of my way to find new designers but I do go out of my way in my spare time to source things and put them together,” she said.
Jean felt that choosing her ensembles for her television slot was a form of expressing her creativity and having fun while doing it.
Jean’s longtime colleague Evelyn Cusack paid tribute to the presenter in her retirement saying, “After a long career at Met Eireann and many years spent gracing our screens at RTE Weather, Jean Byrne hung up her weather charts at the end of 2021.
“Although we will miss Jean’s presence both in the Met Eireann forecast office and on our screens, we wish Jean every happiness and success in the future.”
We wish Jean all the best in the future!